Try This Thin Flat Bedding Trend to Replace Duvets

For the longest time, I thought the only proper way to make a bed depended on a fluffy duvet. Anything less than a cloud-like duvet cover or comforter, I thought, would make your bed look unwelcoming and incomplete, right? Wrong. 

In fact, there’s a whole category of super-thin bedspreads and sheet-like textiles out there that just might make you want to trade in your hotel-like duvet for one of these spartan decorative covers. Making this swap is a bit unusual, but it creates a minimalist vibe, which can be a great thing in a sleep space. Less is more can be very calming, after all.

Jess Bunge, editorial director at Emily Henderson Design, calls this trend the “monastery bed” because these thin covers draw attention to the sharp, flat lines of your mattress. That said, since the shape of these bed blankets is so understated, you can get playful with patterns and colors here. Or, if you prefer a more traditional look, you can focus on earthy hues. The one thing to keep in mind is that these aren’t the same as coverlets or quilts, which also can give you a more streamlined look. This trend literally looks like you used a woven textile or a plain duvet cover without the insert. 

Practically speaking, super-thin bed textiles are a wonderful option if you hate awkwardly stuffing your duvet back into its cover after laundry day. Lilly Ortiz, the unofficial queen of this trend, actually uses an unstuffed duvet cover in her boho Florida home for this very reason. “It’s all about practicality and easy does it,” she says. “I want my bed to look done with the least effort possible.” 

How does she dress the bed up so it doesn’t look like she only has a sheet on it — or like she simply forgot to fill her duvet cover with a comforter? Ortiz says it’s all in the pillows. “I always include the extra pillows when making my bed with only the plain duvet and, of course, colorful decorative pillows,” she says. “It’s like the sprinkles on the cake.”

Of course, there are a few drawbacks to these flat bedspreads and covers. They’re not exactly cuddly, especially when it’s cold outside. There’s a workaround for that though: You can sneak a summer-weight comforter underneath the flat cover, and/or add extra blankets that you maybe have rolled up in a basket nearby for warmth when you go to sleep. “I go for something lightweight but with texture and fluid drape,” says Daniela Boleto, creative director of Camomile London, a home decor brand based in the U.K. “The texture helps make it feel more like bedding rather than a simple sheet.”

Mariana Torres, creator of interior textiles and art studio brand Amidst Studios in Portugal, loves (and makes!) decorative bed throws that make a statement all on their own. “The throw dresses the bed without any need for extras,” says Torres. “But you can always add some colorful pillows to match the vibe.” Plus, if you choose a decorative throw, you can eventually use the piece as art if you want to change up your bed down the road (or go back to something a bit fluffier and warmer for the fall or winter). Torres’ blankets are hand block printed, and people also hang them on walls or stretch them on wooden frames like canvases.

So if you’re in the mood to try something new for your bed decor or you want your bedroom to feel decluttered instantly, try out the super-thin bed cover trend. It’ll be a breath of fresh air that’s perfect for spring and summer.